# John Wood: U.S. Capitol Photographer (1856-1864)

As the first United States' federal government photographer, John Wood was uniquely positioned to capture not only the construction of the Capitol extension and dome but also key events on its grounds, including two presidential inaugurations -- James Buchanan (1857) and Abraham Lincoln (1862). Wood's images were often distributed to garner political and financial support for these large public works projects. In keeping with their use, Wood framed his works as both documentary and as a means of capturing the Emersonian ideals of America as a place of "beginnings, of projects, of designs and expectations."

- Kind: Film
- Year: 2021
- By: Library Of Congress
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/2024697398/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/2024697398?play=1)